Features - QOTW: Will you be buying the new iPad?

[saltyzip]

Two questions, first off how d'ya figure that the "iPad3" is "the best tablet" - I'm not disagreeing necessarily, merely interested in your reasoning.
Secondly, if the iPad3 is "the best tablet" (and personally I'm not so sure) then why shackle yourself with something "inferior"?

[Bit of Background]
I have an Asus Transformer TF101 which I love, and the family loves it, especially my two little ones aged 6 and 2. Come Christmas in the fire sales I am hoping to get what was called the Asus Transformer Prime for under £300 that's my limit, no tablet is really worth more than that in my books for the functionality they currently offer over netbooks etc.

[Reasons iPad Best Tablet]
1. More Tablet specific Apps, think the figures are 200,000 versus 1000 on Android.
2. Honeycomb OS was good, apart from the non accelerated UI which no doubt would have put a lot of people off purchasing the tablet if they had compared it side by side with an iPad device in a store. I installed a different launcher to get around the UI lag, but shouldn't have needed too.
3. ICS OS yet to gain universal acceptance and default OS on all new tablets. On my current transformer ICS is currently buggy (random reboots) waiting for Asus to release an emergency patch within a week or so. Other than that is is extremely fast/smooth and sexy although improvements to browsing are always welcome.
4. My biggest issue with Google Play/Android Market is the lack of cloud support. I want to store my music in the cloud. In the US they have support, in the UK I haven't even read a confirmation statement from Google it is coming. Perhaps there are alternatives which won't put me out of pocket?
5. Upgrade cycle to get all tablets onto ICS seems slow, lack of manufacturer support, they aren't exactly helping themselves. Asus seem the most enthusiastic, and I've always loved their kit, since I made my first Custom PC many moons ago.

[Why I won't be buying any Apple product, let alone an iPad]
1. Apple are too big and too powerful already and openly admit in their attempts to exterminate the competition e.g. Android via whatever means at their disposal. They even try and kick Kodak when they are on their last legs, Apple are such a horrible horrible company.
2. Apple are currently being sued for eBook price fixing, they are so up themselves because of their dominance they dictate the rules, leaving the poor individuals at the end of the food chain suffering.
3. Apple products are often described as "Glorified Fisher-Price activity centres for adults", I like living on the edge.
4. I believe Android(Linux) will become the dominant platform, opensource architecture/OS is the way to go, the PC is the perfect example of why it trumped Apple and continues to do so. So Android is the horse I am betting on long term.
5. Steve Jobs couldn't get a job under George Bush Sr's administration because he had too many references referring to him as a "a deceptive individual" and couldn't be trusted.
6. Apple has a one size fits all philosophy, they know what is best irrespective if the consumer disagrees, choice and fair play rather than dictatorship is my view.
7. Alternative manufacturer products are in many cases better than Apple, you pay for the name/design.
8. Apple seems to be one of the most hated company's on the planet at the moment.
9. More likely to get mugged if I have an Apple product on me, I have a family and I don't want to draw any unwanted attention because of my gadgets.

[ajones]

Not a chance

[cheesemp]

Saltyzip - Your my hero! Fantastic explanation.

[saltyzip]

This is no longer true. With iOS 5, iPhone and iPads can be setup and maintained using iCloud. There's no need to use a PC/MAC.

My wife won an IPad 2 in a competition at her local salon last year and she sold it to one of her brothers in January this year.

I don't know what OS was on it but when he switched it on at my house to set it up, it stated it needed to be connected via USB to a PC, couldn't get past that opening screen.

The same situation occurred on her brothers iPhone 4 (not S) bought around the same time.

It was interesting comparing the iPad 2 to my Asus Transformer (honeycomb at the time), the higher resolution and larger screen on my Asus trumped the iPad 2, especially when playing games. Angry Birds was so much better on widescreen. Also avoids the black border syndrome when watching movies.

I never got time to compare the internet browser side of things, wished I had.

[crossy]

This is no longer true. With iOS 5, iPhone and iPads can be setup and maintained using iCloud. There's no need to use a PC/MAC.

Didn't know that - thanks for sharing.

(here be heavy snippage...)
3. ICS OS yet to gain universal acceptance and default OS on all new tablets. On my current transformer ICS is currently buggy (random reboots) waiting for Asus to release an emergency patch within a week or so. Other than that is is extremely fast/smooth and sexy although improvements to browsing are always welcome.

Thanks for the lengthy - and pretty well thought-out - explanation.
Sorry to hear that your TF101 is playing up - mine works fine with ICS, smooth as silk. In fact the only thing I complain about is it's tendency to try and lock onto a weaker WiFi signal when a stronger one is available, i.e. I have a router and a WiFi repeater and sometimes it'd try and go for the router when the repeater is in the same room.
PS If you can get a Transformer/Infinity Prime for £300 then I'd buy one too.

[darrensen]

I refused to buy the first two, but decided to take the plunge on this one. The screen is gonna be jaw dropping! Will be a kick up the backside for all the tv manufactures out there. Time to catch up. Super HD is on its way!!!

[Saracen]

....

Secondly, if the iPad3 is "the best tablet" (and personally I'm not so sure) then why shackle yourself with something "inferior"?

Maybe the same reason people buy a BMW or Mercedes (or Jaguar, or whatever your preferred flavour is) rather than a Bentley or a Ferrari .... they either can't afford the Bentley/Ferrari option, or even if they can, don't consider it good value for money.

[crossy]

(why shackle yourself with something "inferior") Maybe the same reason people buy a BMW or Mercedes (or Jaguar, or whatever your preferred flavour is) rather than a Bentley or a Ferrari .... they either can't afford the Bentley/Ferrari option, or even if they can, don't consider it good value for money.

Granted - but in this case the BMW v's Bentley argument doesn't really apply because the iPad3 is about the same price as Galaxy Tab's, Transformer Prime's. Although to continue the motoring analogy I guess this is like buying an Audi S6 rather than a BMW M5 - despite the M5 being "better"*.

(*please don't flame me Audi owners, I'm just going based on what Top Gear says).

[watercooled]

I refused to buy the first two, but decided to take the plunge on this one. The screen is gonna be jaw dropping! Will be a kick up the backside for all the tv manufactures out there. Time to catch up. Super HD is on its way!!!

But most people tend not to sit 5 inches from their TV screen...

[Saracen]

Granted - but in this case the BMW v's Bentley argument doesn't really apply because the iPad3 is about the same price as Galaxy Tab's, Transformer Prime's. Although to continue the motoring analogy I guess this is like buying an Audi S6 rather than a BMW M5 - despite the M5 being "better"*.

(*please don't flame me Audi owners, I'm just going based on what Top Gear says).

True, but the iPad is also seen as the 'must-have", the status symbol. And we could make similar analogies with watches, designer clothes, hell, we could use premium washing powder brands.

Take clothes. You will find me in George jeans, but you will not find me in Levi's, let alone silly-prices designer brands. Why? I don't regard the more expensive items as value for money, and at least for my purposes, they are both equally functional. With shoes, on the other hand, quality often is worth paying for because (in my experience) they last longer, and are often FAR more comfortable, especially if you spend extended periods of time on your feet.

[watercooled]

True, but the iPad is also seen as the 'must-have", the status symbol. And we could make similar analogies with watches, designer clothes, hell, we could use premium washing powder brands.

IMO it can work the opposite way too; people who do research into the subject might see the iPad as the default/benchmark product, and while others may be less publicised they offer better features/value for money.

It's analogous to many market segments, a brand which is heavily publicised and accepted by many but if you put some time into research, you'll probably find many better options.

[Mattus]

Saltyzip - Your my hero! Fantastic explanation.

Fantastic explanation? It is 90% an ideological argument, rather than one related to the merits and demerits of the actual product.

It might convince the open-source ideologues who are happy to tolerate palpably inferior products in order to avoid having to fill the coffers of the evil Apple, but 99% of the population just doesn't care.

[Saracen]

IMO it can work the opposite way too; people who do research into the subject might see the iPad as the default/benchmark product, and while others may be less publicised they offer better features/value for money.

It's analogous to many market segments, a brand which is heavily publicised and accepted by many but if you put some time into research, you'll probably find many better options.

Agreed. It can work that way. With those more money-savvy than brand-conscious, it may well do.

[Gordy]

Fantastic explanation? It is 90% an ideological argument, rather than one related to the merits and demerits of the actual product. It might convince the open-source ideologues, but 99% of the population just doesn't care.

Nail head...

I think what most people in the techie field are struggling to grasp about the ipad and apple in general is that this no longer about them. This is getting computing devices into the hands of people who couldn't care less what it is or who makes it, but what it brings in terms of ease of use and the lack of computer fear.

I see it a lot with clients who are terrified of using computers in case of well it all goes wrong. They make things seem scary in their heads. The ipad for a lot of them makes total sense. It's easy to use and friendly.

And they are buying them in their millions.

I shake my head when I see people refusing to buy Apple products, because very few have a good reason. If you think google or motorola or samsung or htc are angels compared to Apple, well you are living on cloud cuckoo. Don't buy a product that is first/second best for stupid reasons. (Please note I know for some people android tablets are a better choice, I've got no problem with that.) It's the I will never buy an apple product, even if google takes my first born child from me nonsense that seems to be so pervasive these days.

Fair enough there are lot of people that a tablet is not for them, it's just most of them see to spend a lot of time arguing on forums why tablets and the iPad specifically are diabolical products.

I would bet my life on the fact the night of the latest iPad announcement there were some terrified excutives at Dell/HP/Intel etc who didn't get a drop of sleep. If the iPad follows the iPod path in terms of adoption as opposed to the iPhone one there are going to be some massive changes in the landscape of computing for the masses. And in their bottom lines as a result. At present there is no one outside Amazon and Barnes and Noble who is doing anything of note in the tablet market. I cannot see how anyone else with their present methods can change that.

[Gordy]

My wife won an IPad 2 in a competition at her local salon last year and she sold it to one of her brothers in January this year.

I don't know what OS was on it but when he switched it on at my house to set it up, it stated it needed to be connected via USB to a PC, couldn't get past that opening screen.

The same situation occurred on her brothers iPhone 4 (not S) bought around the same time.

Anything on iOS 5 or higher no longer needs the link to the computer. In fact you didn't need it before if you took it into an apple store they would have done that stage for you and you'd be off and running.

Up until iOS 5 I never recommended an iPad to anyone thinking it's something they can have as their only computer. Now I still think they are second machine, but for some people an iPad does everything they need and much more. The removing of the tethered chain was a big step forward.

[rob4001]

Nail head...

I think what most people in the techie field are struggling to grasp about the ipad and apple in general is that this no longer about them. This is getting computing devices into the hands of people who couldn't care less what it is or who makes it, but what it brings in terms of ease of use and the lack of computer fear.

I see it a lot with clients who are terrified of using computers in case of well it all goes wrong. They make things seem scary in their heads. The ipad for a lot of them makes total sense. It's easy to use and friendly.

And they are buying them in their millions.

I shake my head when I see people refusing to buy Apple products, because very few have a good reason. If you think google or motorola or samsung or htc are angels compared to Apple, well you are living on cloud cuckoo. Don't buy a product that is first/second best for stupid reasons. (Please note I know for some people android tablets are a better choice, I've got no problem with that.) It's the I will never buy an apple product, even if google takes my first born child from me nonsense that seems to be so pervasive these days.

Fair enough there are lot of people that a tablet is not for them, it's just most of them see to spend a lot of time arguing on forums why tablets and the iPad specifically are diabolical products.

I would bet my life on the fact the night of the latest iPad announcement there were some terrified excutives at Dell/HP/Intel etc who didn't get a drop of sleep. If the iPad follows the iPod path in terms of adoption as opposed to the iPhone one there are going to be some massive changes in the landscape of computing for the masses. And in their bottom lines as a result. At present there is no one outside Amazon and Barnes and Noble who is doing anything of note in the tablet market. I cannot see how anyone else with their present methods can change that.

This

Apple have been shown to be an arrogant company a few times the whole iphone 4 signal issue springs to mind. That being said none of the android competitors are saints either. I refer you to the link of Samsung galaxy tab newton rings problem which I saw in local currys on a display model.

http://www.thegalaxytabforum.com/ind...n-rings-issue/

I am not an apple fan boy I have sony erricson phone & desktop pc with windows 7. I advise my family members to buy an ipad as they are intuitive my sister for example she has 3 kids on her lap top all the time so I told her to get an ipad for casual browsing on the sofa and she loves it.

My mum uses her ipad again as its easy no faffing around so its good because she cant operate the tv remote but loves the ipad.

As for apple pricing well the transformer prime was £500 on release the galaxy matched the ipad for price but I think out of all the apple products the ipad is the most competitively priced. As for whether people think it worth it thats a different matter, personally I don’t need an ipad but I haven’t seen any offerings from android so make me want one advise people to get one